Source: Daily_Mail
Blackpool 1 West Ham 4: Green sees red, but 10-man Hammers win to hit top spot
Some victories are that little bit sweeter. Sam Allardyce has never forgotten the ruthless way his first foray into management ended, so it was no surprise he savoured his latest return to Blackpool. [LNB]Allardyce was jettisoned from Bloomfield Road in 1996 after failing to win promotion but he took a giant step towards attainting that target for his current club in a dramatic game that ended with 10-man West Ham reclaiming the Championship's top spot. [LNB]The visitors ripped Blackpool asunder and were full value for a victory secured by goals from James Tomkins, Nicky Maynard, Gary O'Neil and Ricardo Vaz Te. Striding on to the pitch at the final whistle, Allardyce's beaming smile spoke volumes. [LNB] In the Nick of time: Maynard celebrates making it 2-1 to the Hammers [LNB] [LNB] MATCH FACTS Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Cathcart, Evatt, Crainey, Sylvestre (Dicko 46), Ferguson, Basham (Kevin Phillips 34), Matt Phillips, Fleck,LuaLua (Bednar 46).[LNB]Subs not used: Eardley, Wilson. [LNB]Booked: Fleck. [LNB]Scorer: Kevin Phillips 45. [LNB]West Ham: Green, O'Brien, Faye (O'Neil 66), Tomkins, McCartney, Faubert (Lansbury 54), Noble, Reid, Collison, Maynard (Cole 82), Vaz Te.[LNB]Subs not used: Baldock,Potts. [LNB]Sent off: Green (53). [LNB]Booked: Reid,O'Neil. [LNB]Scorers: Tomkins 28,Maynard 32,O'Neil 74,Vaz Te 90. [LNB]Attendance: 13,043 [LNB]Referee: Oliver Langford (W Midlands). [LNB]'A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then,' said Allardyce. 'I thought getting sacked like I didwas a bit harsh to say the least but I have spoken to (owner) Owen (Oyston) a few times. They've had a disappointing result but I wouldn't back against them getting into the Premier League.' [LNB]It was perhaps easy for Allardyce to be magnanimous. Not even a red card for goalkeeper Robert Green - West Ham's third in as many games - could check the ebullience that stemmed from an outstanding display. [LNB]'My heart was in my mouth, even though I didn't think it was a red card,' said Allardyce, who confirmed he will appeal against the decision if possible. [LNB]'But I thought the lads coped with itextremely well. We punished the opposition to the highest order. It wasoutstanding, there was some great football. We have won with style.'[LNB] With one defeat in their last 10 League games, Blackpool's form had demanded they be viewed as serious promotion candidates but they were stripped bare. [LNB]Even when Green was sent off, they did not test Henri Lansbury, the on-loan Arsenal midfielder who took over in goal. [LNB]Red alert: Rob Green upends Roman Bednar...[LNB]Sporting a garish bobble hat, Blackpool boss Ian Holloway's histrionics on the touchline gave an idea of how unhappy he was with his team's efforts as West Ham's relentless power and drive kept them hemmed in during the first half-hour. [LNB]It was no surprise when the pressure paid off after 28 minutes, Tomkins powering in a header from Mark Noble's free-kick. [LNB] ... referee Oliver Langord considers his options ... [LNB] [LNB] ... and gives the West Ham goalkeeper his marching orders ...[LNB]The lead was doubled four minutes later when Maynard slotted his first goal since his ?1.65million deadline-day move from Bristol City. [LNB]Holloway sent on 38-year-old striker Kevin Phillips, and he pulled a goal back just before half-time. But Holloway made more changes at the interval, Roman Bednar and Nouha Dickoreplacing Lomana LuaLua and Ludovic Sylvestre. [LNB] [LNB] Hammer blow: Tomins wheels away after opening the scoring for the east Londoners[LNB]Blackpool threw caution to the wind after the break but Holloway felt his side were guilty of naivety as O'Neil and Vaz Te smashed in late drives. O'Neil's triggered wild celebrations on the visiting bench, with Allardyce standing in the middle of a celebrating mass with his arms aloft. [LNB]This felt like a significant win for West Ham in their bid to bounce back into the Premier League at the first attempt. [LNB] [LNB] Off you go: Green trudges off and is replaced by Henri Lansbury[LNB]But Holloway lamented: 'It was horrendous. Only one team turned up and that was them. They played in the right way, we made mistake after mistake. I took a massive gamble athalf-time and it backfired spectacularly. Just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong.[LNB] 'I thought we were far too emotional. They looked like potential champions. We look like we should sort our life out.'[LNB] [LNB] Stand-in: Lansbury had to put on the gloves after Green's exit [LNB] How Blackpool could have done with some inspiration from Matt Phillips. The subject of interest before the game, given his decision to represent Scotland, Holloway was furious theFA had allowed the 20-year-old to defect. [LNB]'I have been in the game a long time and seen an awful lot of players and I think Matt is good enough to be an England international,' he said. 'It's great news if you are Scottishbut what more did Matt need to do to get picked for England's Under 21s? I feel a bit irked.'[LNB] [LNB]IN FOCUS MARK NOBLE [LNB]Has been a driving force this season and his hard running characterised the visitors' efforts.[LNB] KEVIN PHILLIPS [LNB]Remains as enthusiastic as ever and the years have not diminished his eye for goal.[LNB] Read Soprtsmail's brilliant Football League blog here Click here for all the latest Championship stats and tables[LNB] [LNB] [LNB] MOST READ NEWSPrevious123NextFast food CEO on 'Undercover Boss' so horrified by abusive...Group of 11 men 'plied girls of 13 with drink and drugs to...Charity shop worker drowned in lake just 3ft deep after...Four former staff of Cameron's 'back to work' tsar arrested...Mother who spent ?10,000 hiding ginger afro falls victim to...For sale: One French village complete with stables, tennis...'Gay slayer' Colin Ireland who tortured homosexual men to...Toddler, 2, died in agony when he mistook plant food for a...A traffic accident, men in masks and a naked woman: The...I found a sea monster... in a tin of tuna! Mother's shock...Revealed: The map of the UK that shows the best (and worst)...'You could hear and see him crying on the back stairs':... Share this article: FacebookTwitterGoogle+MessengerLinkedInDigg itNewsvineFarkNowpublicRedditPrint articleEmail article Add your commentsComments (4)Here's what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,or debate this issue live on our message boards.[LNB]The comments below have not been moderated.[LNB]NewestOldestBest ratedWorst rated View allSurely just another reason why Arsene Wenger needs to give Henri Lansbury a chance in the first team next season. He'd probably be a better option to have on the bench as reserve keeper than Flappianski![LNB]- Matt, London, 21/2/2012 23:30[LNB]Click to rate Rating 3Report abuse[LNB]Arsenal's next goalie is sorted then![LNB]- Mark, WATFORD, 21/2/2012 23:03[LNB]Click to rate Rating 6Report abuse[LNB]10 men. We've only got 10 men, we've only got 10 men, we've only got 10 men....! 10 men. We've only got 10 men, we've only got 10 men, we've only got 10 men.... It would be great if we could finish a match with a full compliment of players some time soon, but I'm starting to wonder if that would actually jinx it and we'd lose. A huge pat on the back to our defence tonight, who did a great job of protecting Lansbury and providing enough confidence for the team to still go forward and get 2 more goals. It was also an improvement with going down a man. The last 2 games and we were depleted after 10 minutes into the first half, but this time it was 10 minutes into the second. COYI! Back to the top we go, let's hear it.... 10 men. We've only got 10 men, we've only got 10 men, we've only got 10 men....! 10 men. We've only got 10 men, we've only got 10 men, we've only got 10 men.... [LNB]- Salgirl, England, 21/2/2012 22:57[LNB]Click to rate Rating 13Report abuse[LNB]well west ham have now finished 3 matches with ten men won 2 drawn one it seems they are a better team with 10 men start with ten and bring on another player if required[LNB]- les woodward, basildon essex, 21/2/2012 22:54[LNB]Click to rate Rating 13Report abuse[LNB]The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.[LNB]Add your commentName:Town & Country:Your name and location will appear next to your comment.You have 1000 characters left.Libellous and abusive comments are not allowed. 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